Acclimation and Injury

Management
Acclimations
❖ Adapting to a hot environment can take one to three weeks;
for physically fit individuals, 75% of acclimation occurs
during the first week of heat exposure.
❖ During this time, sustained physical activity is more difficult
and the onset of fatigue occurs with minimal physical
exertion.
❖ Acclimation involves two parts:
❖ Cardiovascular adaptations: Changes that gradually lead
to a lower heart rate for a given workload or intensity of
exercise This is the most rapid change during acclimation to
heat.

❖ Sweating: Sweating begins earlier with exertion; the sweat

rate is higher and can be sustained for longer periods. Sweat
also becomes more dilute thus saving essential body
electrolytes.
Acclimation loss

❖ Heat acclimation cannot be maintained unless there

is repeated heat exposure and even if repeated
exposure is maintained, other factors may cause a
loss of acclimation.
❖ Factors that lead to loss of heat acclimation include:

❖ Sleep loss | Alcohol | Dehydration | Salt depletion

| Illness/Infections | Cessation of physical activity

❖ There is some disagreement about how long it takes to

lose acclimation to heat, but generally speaking after 2
weeks of working in a hot environment, it will take 3 to
4 weeks before most of the adaptations are lost.
 Injury Management

Heat Injuries

❖ There are many categories and subcategories of

heat injuries. However, three of the main classes
are presented here:
HEAT CRAMPS:
❖ Heat cramps are painful contractions of muscles,
usually in the extremities, following vigorous
exercise. They occur most commonly in
unacclimatized people. No specific cause
is known (possibly depletion of electrolytes), but
such cramps usually resolve when acclimation is
complete.
HEAT EXHAUSTION:
❖ Heat exhaustion is a potentially serious injury
resulting primarily from dehydration and electrolyte
depletion. The affected individual may feel light-
headed, dizzy, nauseous, fatigued, or develop a
headache.
❖ If heat exhaustion is suspected, the injured
individual should be placed in a cool location if
possible and given replacement fluids by mouth or
intravenously.
HEAT STROKE:
❖ Heat stroke is a life-threatening injury in which the affected
individual loses the ability to regulate temperature and is
overcome by soaring body core temperatures (greater than
104° F).
❖ Such high temperatures can irreversibly injure vital organs
and result in death if not rapidly treated. Many factors may
contribute to heat stroke - even well-hydrated people may
become victims if they ignore the warning signs and
symptoms.
Safeguards
❖ Exercising in hot environments can be quite a
rewarding experience that can lead to significant
developments in cardiovascular fitness if done
correctly and safely.

❖ Follow the key points outlined below to stay safe

while exercising in hot conditions:
❖ Plan a workout to avoid peak heat of the day (between 11 am
and 2 pm).
❖ Plan for decreased physical performance in the first two weeks.
❖ Maintain proper hydration.
❖ Be aware of any illness predisposing to dehydration (diarrhea,
vomiting, fever).
❖ Always be aware of the warning signs of heat illness: Pay
attention to your body. Slow down or stop if signs or
symptoms of heat injury become apparent.
❖ Avoid drugs and other substances that predispose to
dehydration or heat injuries.